Redwork Embroidery Block of the Month ~ Free Pattern

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It’s time to introduce our 2025 Block of the Month! This year we will be making a Redwork Quilt….

This is a quilt that I have been meaning to make for a while now… I started designing the blocks a few years ago, and then they went on the back burner.

Towards the end of last year, I decided to finish the embroidery designs and make it our BOM for this year.

As in past years, this is an introductory post about the BOM and how it will work this year.

Stitching Snowflakes

One reason that it has taken me so long to get this BOM ready is because I had it in my head that snowflakes should be white… and therefore I needed to change the normal background color of all my quilts (white fabric) to another one….

Now a white snowflake on a blue fabric, for example, was my preference… however, trying to trace the design on a blue background was going to be hard, unless it was really light in which case there would not be a lot of contrast!

I racked my brain for a solution. It’s not like in cross-stitch where you can just count the squares on any color background – we needed to be able to trace it with a lightbox.

Finally, I thought, well, what about redwork? That would look nice… it would be winter and Christmassy at the same time, and solved my background problem.

Phew! Decided!

Snowball Block

There wasn’t a lot of thought needed to decide on the block to put the snowflake in – I wanted it in a snowball quilt block.

I’ve done the tutorial for that and I will be referring to it in the block instructions each month.

What is Redwork?

The History of Redwork

I did a bit of a Google search on the history of redwork. 

It is of course quite a popular form of embroidery, although I personally have never been a huge fan of redwork embroidery. I prefer to use different colors because I am easily bored.

Redwork in simple terms is embroidery done with red thread, which has a benefit that it eliminates decision fatigue in trying to choose colors!! 

Back to the history… I couldn’t find much beyond it being traced back to the nineteenth century, being found in many antique quilts. The red thread used to be called “turkey red” because it came from dye made from the roots of the madder plant found in Asia and Europe.

What was Redwork Used For?

Red work was often used in household items like wall hangings, tablecloths, towel trims, little quilts, and anything really, that needed a touch of embroidery.

​​Stitches Used in Redwork

Redwork is a type of easy hand embroidery, using simple embroidery stitches, which is right up my alley because as I have said before, I don’t do complicated embroidery! Even stem stitch embroidery makes my head spin, although it can of course be found in many redwork patterns. Redwork embroidery often uses folk art and whimsical designs, and of course vintage ones.

I think using redwork this year in our BOM will result in a beautiful quilt!

How Will the 2025 Block of the Month Work?

How Many Blocks Will There Be?

As in past block of the month quilts, there will be 9 quilt blocks.

When Will the Blocks Be Posted?

​I am planning to post the blocks on the FIRST Wednesday of the month. Unlike in past years when it was on the fourth Wednesday, I was finding the month went by too quickly and I would forget to post it. I am hoping that if it is on the 1st Wednesday of the month I will remember (haha!)

How many Months will this BOM Take?

All of my BOMs so far have been 9-month programs and this one will be too. This time we are starting in February and the last block will be posted in October. Finishing instructions will be in November, and who knows, we may have this quilt done before Christmas!

What Size and Shape Will the Quilt Be?

Once again our BOM will be a square quilt. The project size will depend on if you are going to do the same layout as I am or choose your own.

The center of the quilt with all blocks put together will finish at 18″ x 18″. (no sashing)

I am planning on putting on borders, and if you do the same size as I do the finished quilt will be 26″ x 26″.

Since it will not be a large quilt, I may turn it into a wall hanging or use it as a table topper.

As always, feel free to put the quilt together as you would like! And by November I may have decided on a different layout… ahem….!

Is this a Free or Paid for BOM?

Snowballs and Snowflakes is going to be FREE for the whole year. You will have plenty of time to save each block, even if you only come across it later in the year. It will be free until the end of 2025, after which the whole quilt pattern will go in the membership and in our shop.

How Do We Get the Patterns Each Month?

On the first Wednesday of each month I will do a blog post with the new block and include a link to the Freebies and Membership pages. It will be a digital pattern that can be downloaded in either section for easy access. You will need to sign up for the Freebies section if you haven’t already. Please read this post for more information.

Do I need to Keep up Each Month?

No, you don’t need to worry if you can’t stitch along every month with us, you can go at your own pace. Since the blocks will be free all year you will have plenty of time to download them.

What Skill Level is Needed for this BOM?

The BOM is suitable for all skill levels, but since I am trying to keep it simple, it will be a great way for beginners to start their embroidery and quilting journey!

The stitches I usually use are the easy ones – running stitch, back stitch, lazy daisy, French, or Colonial knots… but if they are too easy for you, please feel free to use any embroidery stitch you like. I love to see variations of my designs by people who are better at embroidery than I am!!

What will the Quilt look like?

Once again I’ve been playing with EQ and this is kind of what the quilt top will look like:

As I said above, I may change my mind, however….

Fabric I am Using

I thought I would use my Cozy Christmas scraps from Lori Holt. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have as much yardage as I thought I would and there is a lot of it out of stock. So I will see if some come back in stock later in the year, otherwise, I am sure I will find something!

I had enough to do the corners of the snowball blocks, so that was good:

Materials Needed to make this quilt

• 1/2 yard of background fabric
• Fat 1/4 for snowball block corners
• 1/4 yard for inner border
• 1/2 yard for outer border
• Batting and Backing
• General Sewing and Quilting supplies

Embroidery Requirements

• your choice of red thread ( I am using DMC 817)
• embroidery needle
• hoop (optional)
• iron on stabilizer (optional)

Well, I think that is all I need to tell you about our new BOM… once again, if I have forgotten anything (highly likely), please let me know in the comments.. any questions? Just ask!

Thank you!

Once again I’d like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to all of you who have participated in past BOMs and who have left sweet encouraging comments! It really makes my day when I see you enjoying our designs, and also seeing the different ways you stitch up the quilts! So thank you, thank you!

In closing…..

When do we start?

The first block will be posted on the 5th of February!!

Hope to see you then!

PS Please share!!

I would love it if you could share this post and details of the BOM on your blogs and socials! Thank you!

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